Africa Overland in stages. This trip lead us mainly through Mali heading back to our car park at Sukuta Camping in Gambia.

Coming from Mopti and 17N 1W close to Téméra, we carried on to Tombouctou along the northern bank of Niger River.

Shortly after the turnoff to Gourma-Rharous and its ferry, we left the main track heading north. Russian maps show dunes but it is more rolling Sahel landscape. To our surprise in some depressions there was still some water left from the last rainy season and some wells where around, too. No wonder that we passed a couple of nomadic tent villages and lots of cattle. Not the expected 9 km surf through dunes but with a bit cornering around the dense camel grass vegetation and sparse acacia tree population, there was mostly a line on hard sand. The Confluence is situated on the hillside of a camel grass covered hill.

For the way back we choose mainly the steep face line along the sand hills, this is more fun and a smoother ride than bumping around over camel grass.